


Before you leave me behind...

by Gilrael



Series: Paraphernalia [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, M/M, They just make out though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-27 23:31:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13891431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilrael/pseuds/Gilrael
Summary: Sendai wasn't far away. Yuusuke had looked it up. It was a forty-five minute trip from the nearest train station to Sendai, and then another twenty minutes by bus to the dorms of the magic department. The distance wasn't the problem.“You guys will be quite busy, huh?” Yuusuke asked, trying to ignore how tight his chest felt.“I guess.” Makoto put a comforting hand on Yuusuke's shoulder. “I can't speak for Ukai, but I'll definitely try to make as much time for you as possible. We're friends after all.”---Ukai and Shimada are about to go to university, leaving Takinoue behind in their hometown. Takinoue takes the opportunity to confess his feelings for Shimada, but the result of his confession is less than satisfying.





	1. ...let's kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently, I am a crazy person who cannot be stopped when it comes to writing, so here is the promised TakiShima fic for [my modern fantasy AU](https://gilrael.tumblr.com/post/166794608203/the-setting-of-runes-and-spellbooks). One of the rarest of rare ships, but I love these guys so much ;_; This is set a bunch of years before the events of Runes and spellbooks.  
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this!

Yuusuke stared at the wooden mortar and pestle, turning them over in his hands. They were good quality, reasonably priced, and he remembered how Makoto had complained that he had to make do with his uncle's old tools because they were “working just fine” according to Makoto's dad. Would it be weird to buy his best friend a mortar for Christmas? Or even more precisely, would it be weird to buy his best friend anything for Christmas if they had never exchanged Christmas gifts before?

Sighing, Yuusuke put the mortar and pestle back on the shelf. This wasn't what he was here for anyway. He quickly made his way to the shelf with the powdered sulphur and grabbed the biggest jar of it.

“What does your mother even do with all that sulphur?” Aunt Akemi asked as he approached her at the cash register. Maybe Yuusuke was a little too old to still be calling his best friends' mums “Aunt”, but it was a hard habit to shake and they didn't seem to be bothered by it either.

“I have no idea,” Yuusuke replied, shrugging.

“That'll be ¥1,200,” Aunt Akemi said as she put the jar in a plastic bag for easier transportation. “And tell your mother that she should come by herself one of these days. It's been a while since we've had a proper conversation.”

Yuusuke suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, knowing for a fact that Aunt Akemi, Aunt Rinko and his mother met up almost every Friday afternoon to gossip.

“I'll tell her,” he said, putting down the money on the counter. “Tell Keishin I said hi.”

“Will do. Have a nice day, Yuusuke-kun!”

“Have a nice day, Aunt Akemi.”

Yuusuke stepped back out into the cold December air, pulling his scarf up to his nose. The walk back home from _Sakanoshita Paraphernalia_ wasn't long. Not like there were any long distances in Yuusuke's hometown. You could bike from one end of town to the other in under thirty minutes. The only noteworthy things about this town were _Sakanoshita Paraphernalia_ , _Shimada Potions_ and the three schools – Izumitate Primary and Middle School and Karasuno High School – but as far as schools went, they weren't anything special either. It was just your regular old farming town in Miyagi prefecture, and Yuusuke would probably be stuck here for the rest of his life.

_Bmpf!_

Yuusuke was ripped from his musings by a snowball to the back of his head.

“What the–” He turned around only to be narrowly missed by another one. “Makoto!”

One of Yuusuke's best friends was standing on the other side of the road, almost keeling over with laughter. Immediately, Yuusuke put down the plastic bag and got on one knee to gather as much snow as possible for retaliation. Makoto was too distracted by his laughter to properly shield himself from Yuusuke's counter-attack and got hit right in the chest.

The ensuing snowball fight quickly made Yuusuke forget the cold, as he ducked and jumped around to avoid Makoto's projectiles. At one point Yuusuke contemplated reinforcing his snowballs with a bit of magic, but that would be cheating.

With a final _whap_ , a snowball almost knocked Makoto's glasses right off his face, causing him to hold up his hands in defeat.

“I give! I give. You win,” he said breathlessly, crossing the street to where Yuusuke was picking his purchase from the paraphernalia shop back up.

“How are your glasses?” Yuusuke asked, concern sneaking up on him as the adrenaline wore off.

“Nothing a little magic can't fix,” Makoto said, squinting at the bent frame before muttering a spell and rubbing his finger over it until it was straight again. Yuusuke took the opportunity to have an unobstructed look at Makoto's dark grey eyes. Once spring came around he wouldn't have many chances to see them again, at least for the four years it would take Makoto to get his degree.

Both Makoto and Ukai had managed to get into the magic scholarship program of Sendai University. Yuusuke had never had any illusions about his powers – the only thing he was actually good at was reinforcing materials like steel and plastic with runes to make them more durable – so he'd never made plans to go to university. He'd go to a nearby vocational school for accounting and work for his grandpa's electronics shop. It didn't use to bother him, but the closer they got to graduation, the less comfortable he felt with the thought of being left behind while his best friends went off to uni. It didn't help that his ancient crush on Makoto was so freaking persistent.

“You running errands for your mum again?” Makoto asked, pointing at the plastic bag.

“Yeah,” Yuusuke sighed. “She's been complaining that the cold is making her knees hurt.”

“She should just go visit my uncle,” Makoto said, shaking his head. “I'm pretty sure he has a salve that could help her.”

“Eh. You know her.” Yuusuke shrugged and started walking again. Makoto immediately fell into step next to him.

“I'm going to miss this,” Makoto said wistfully.

“Hm?” Yuusuke was pretty sure that Makoto wasn't talking about Mum's knees.

“Being able to randomly run into you outside and start snowball fights,” Makoto explained. “Once Keishin and I are in Sendai, we'll actually have to make plans if we want to meet up.”

Sendai wasn't far away. Yuusuke had looked it up. It was a forty-five minute trip from the nearest train station to Sendai, and then another twenty minutes by bus to the dorms of the magic department. The distance wasn't the problem.

“You guys will be quite busy, huh?” Yuusuke asked, trying to ignore how tight his chest felt.

“I guess.” Makoto put a comforting hand on Yuusuke's shoulder. “I can't speak for Ukai, but I'll definitely try to make as much time for you as possible. We're friends after all.”

_Friends_. It was a reassuring word, but it also made Yuusuke's stomach twist uncomfortably. He liked being Makoto's friend. Being Makoto's friend was amazing, actually. But he wanted to be closer. Friends didn't hold hands, friends didn't kiss, and friends didn't have sex, but Yuusuke wanted to do all of those things with Makoto, provided Makoto wanted to as well. Yuusuke had been dreaming about it since he'd hit puberty.

And if Yuusuke stayed behind as a friend, none of his dreams might ever come true.

“Makoto, I–” Yuusuke almost bit his tongue when he noticed one of his neighbours leaving the house. He couldn't do this in public.

Makoto raised his eyebrows. “What's wrong?”

“Erm... Do you want to come up to my room?”

“Yeah, why not.”

 

The anger of Yuusuke's mum had descended upon them both as soon as Yuusuke and Makoto entered the house – _“You guys are completely drenched! Go heat up a bath right now!”_ – so it took almost an hour until they actually managed to settle down in Yuusuke's room with cups of hot chocolate and a bag of pretzel sticks.

It wasn't the first time that Yuusuke saw Makoto wearing his clothes – they'd been in similar situations often enough – but it still got Yuusuke's heart racing like crazy. The way Makoto had to roll up the sleeves of Yuusuke's sweater so he was able to use his hands did _things_ to Yuusuke. Makoto had nice hands, all long and slender if a little calloused from practising magic, and Yuusuke liked to imagine how they would feel all tangled up in his hair, or clawing at his back–

“Earth to Takinoue Yuusuke.” Makoto was suddenly waving his hand in front of Yuusuke's face, making him jump. “You've been staring.”

“Sorry,” Yuusuke blurted out, nervously lifting his mug to take a sip.

Makoto inclined his head, frowning. “What's up? You've been kinda moody recently.”

This was Yuusuke's opening. He could do this. Just a simple “I like you, so please go out with me” and that would be it.

“Um, I... You... I mean, we...” _Come on, tongue, cooperate_. “I like you.”

Silence. Makoto's eyes went wide. Yuusuke wished for a hole to open up in the ground so he could disappear in it.

Makoto cleared his throat, took a sip of hot chocolate and set down his mug on the tray in front of him. “Oh. Okay. Cool.” A distinct blush had settled upon Makoto's cheeks and ears.

“So you're not... freaked out?” Yuusuke asked.

“I mean... You're kinda hot?” Makoto mumbled, drawing his knees closer to his chest. “But I'll be leaving in spring.”

“I–” Yuusuke tried to swallow down the knot in his throat. “I know.”

Makoto bit his lower lip, seemingly thinking about something and making Yuusuke think that he really wanted to know how that mouth would feel pressed against his own.

“If... if you want we can experiment. Kissing, making out,” Makoto finally said. “But I don't want this to get serious. I want us to stay friends.”

“That's fine,” Yuusuke said. He would take what he could get, even if it wasn't exactly what he had hoped for. There still was enough time to change Makoto's mind. “We're friends and that will not change. No matter what.”

Makoto scooted closer to where Yuusuke was sitting on the floor, took the mug from his hands and placed it next to his own.

“Okay. So... Kissing?” he asked, grinning.

Yuusuke didn't need to be asked twice.

 


	2. ...let's be together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you by a very sleepy Gil.

Their first kiss was sweet and shy, leaving behind a floaty feeling in Yuusuke's chest. Their second kiss was firmer, a little more daring and yet still chaste. The kisses that followed blurred together in Yuusuke's memory as they became more passionate and involved more tongue.

Makoto's lips were always a little chapped, but Yuusuke wasn't going to complain. Every kiss was precious and every fit of laughter worth the embarrassment of trying something new and failing spectacularly. As much as Makoto insisted that what they had wasn't a relationship, it sure felt like one. Not that Yuusuke had anything to compare it to.

He'd never bothered trying to date one of the three girls that expressed interest in him, seeing no point in lying to himself about his sexual orientation. He was gay and nothing was going to change that. And going out with a guy in a conservative town was not worth the risk if he wasn't absolutely sure that he liked him.

Makoto was worth every risk.

It stung a little, knowing that Makoto was refusing to commit to a relationship, but the kisses and make-out sessions were enough to make Yuusuke forget any pain. Having Makoto sitting on his lap, arms wrapped around each other, tongues carefully exploring each other's mouths, was incredible, and Yuusuke was going to indulge for as long as he could.

 

“Grandpa's not here yet, but he should be home soon,” Ukai explained as he let Yuusuke and Makoto in the house. “You guys go ahead, I'll make us some tea.”

They took off their shoes at the entrance and made their way to Master Ukai's study where their magic lesson would take place. The study always had this underlying smell of old books, chalk and coal, mixed with whatever paraphernalia Master Ukai and his students had last used for their magic. Today, Yuusuke smelled candle wax.

“Do you think Master has a new student?” he asked, sitting down in his usual chair. Makoto looked around and then pointed at a bunch of burnt-down candles on top of Master Ukai's massive desk.

“I guess so.”

Learning how to light a candle was the first step to gaining control of your magic powers. At least when your instructor was Master Ukai.

Makoto was about to pull up a chair of his own, but Yuusuke grabbed his hand and stopped him. They were alone and he wasn't going to let this opportunity slide. Makoto rolled his eyes at him, but he smiled and leaned down to kiss Yuusuke anyway, not even having to ask what Yuusuke wanted.

Yuusuke lifted his free hand to Makoto's face, softly brushing his thumb over his cheek as they kissed. There was a bit of stubble, but Yuusuke didn't mind. It only added to the sensation, made it feel more real and less like a dream.

And then suddenly, someone was talking.

“Did you hear about–”

Makoto jumped back as soon as the door opened, but it was already too late. Ukai was standing in the door frame, holding a tray with tea, eyebrows raised.

“It's not what it looks like!” Makoto instantly blurted out, while Yuusuke was still trying to process the situation.

Their best friend walked in on them kissing. He didn't know that either of them was into guys. There was a possibility that Ukai would freak out on them.

But Ukai just sighed and put the tea down on his grandpa's desk.

“It's about time, really,” he said, grabbing one of the cups for himself. “You guys have been dancing around each other for ages. I'd suggest you stop snogging in here, though. I don't think my mum would be able to keep her mouth shut if she found out.”

“Ukai, we're not–” Makoto started, but was interrupted by the arrival of Ukai's grandpa, who immediately told them to get out their spellbooks for the lesson.

 

Yuusuke couldn't help but notice how jumpy Makoto had become after Ukai found out about them. He'd flinch whenever they accidentally touched during the lesson, and on their way home he kept even more distance between them than before their kissing arrangement had begun.

Yuusuke didn't like this change in the least. They needed to talk, and maybe this was the right time to ask Makoto why he was so reluctant to get serious.

“You wanna come up to my room?” Yuusuke asked as soon as they arrived at his parents' house. The past couple of days, Makoto had jumped at every opportunity for them to be alone, but now he hesitated.

“Erm... Okay.”

Heaving a sigh of relief, Yuusuke unlocked the front door. There was no reply when he announced their arrival, so his parents were probably at work. Having the house to themselves was definitely a plus, considering the conversation they were going to have.

Without saying another word, they went upstairs to Yuusuke's room. Yuusuke immediately sat down on his bed, waiting for Makoto to join him, but Makoto just closed the door behind himself and remained where he was, looking down at the floor.

“What's wrong?” Yuusuke asked. “Ukai obviously doesn't care.”

“Others might care,” Makoto said shakily.

“So what?”

Makoto started pacing up and down the room.

“His mum could have walked in on us, or his grandpa,” he said, tearing at his hair. “They would have told our parents.”

“But that's not what happened.” Yuusuke was getting frustrated. He wished there was a spell that would allow him to read Makoto's mind. “There's something I really don't get. We're both really into each other, right? So why can't we just be boyfriends?”

Makoto stopped in the middle of the room.

“What if people find out? Everyone knows us here, we'd be the talk of the town.”

“And they won't talk if they catch us making out?” Yuusuke asked, rolling his eyes. “Makoto, you're being stupid.”

“I know! But I'm scared, okay?” Makoto took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Yuusuke couldn't remember ever having seen him this vulnerable. “I was so happy when you said you liked me. But I'll be leaving in a couple of months, so I thought we could at least make some nice memories. And if we're not together, we won't have to break up when I leave, and if we don't break up, we'll still be friends.”

There was only one person in the entire world who could come up with this insane logic, and that person was Shimada Makoto, idiot extraordinaire.

“Who said that we have to break up?” Yuusuke asked incredulously.

“But... I mean... I'll be in Sendai and you'll be here,” Makoto started, but Yuusuke had to stop him right there.

“Have you considered the possibility of a long distance relationship?” If you could call a little over an hour travel time a long distance. “You are the one who said that you'd make as much time for me as possible because we're friends. How about you make time for me because I'm your boyfriend?”

Makoto lifted his head, eyes wide with astonishment. “You'd be willing to be in a long distance relationship with me?”

Who would've thought that Makoto, the person who wouldn't stop bragging to their classmates about how awesome he was for having received a scholarship offer, would be this insecure?

“If you stop being an idiot about this whole situation and admit that you like me? Yes.”

Makoto was biting his lower lip again, contemplating. Yuusuke had no idea what there was left to think about, but he wasn't going to push. He could be patient if he wanted to.

“Our parents will hate this if they find out,” Makoto finally said, slowly stepping towards Yuusuke.

“Eh.” Yuusuke shrugged. “They'll come around.”

“My uncle might not let me take over the shop.”

“I'll help you open one of your own. I'll do the accounting.”

A bright smile lit up Makoto's face.

“I like you,” he said, climbing on top of Yuusuke's lap.

“I like you, too,” Yuusuke replied, wrapping his arms around Makoto possessively.

“Be my boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

And then they were kissing again, soft and sweet, only interrupted by the occasional breathless giggle.

 

***

 

Putting down the last of the boxes, Makoto took a look around the room. It was definitely more spacious than his room at the student dorms in Sendai had been, but with the double bed and the larger closet, it felt just as cramped.

“Was that the last box?” Yuusuke asked, poking his head into the room.

“Yes.”

“I'll bring the car back to Ukai's then.”

“I'll start unpacking. You can help me when you're back,” Makoto said, getting up from the floor to give his boyfriend a quick kiss on the cheek before he left, but Yuusuke wouldn't let him leave it at that. Growling, he pulled Makoto closer, pressing their lips together firmly.

“I'm so glad you're finally back home,” he whispered, holding Makoto's blushing face in his hands.

“It's good to be back. Permanently.”

Another quick peck and then Yuusuke finally let go of him.

Sighing, Makoto sat down next to one of the boxes and opened it up. A wooden mortar and pestle were resting on top of a set of folded sheets. Makoto didn't remember packing them in there, but he remembered how Yuusuke had given them to him on graduation day, mumbling something about Makoto having to remember him whenever he used them.

It hadn't always been easy to keep up their relationship, what with Makoto's massive workload at uni and Yuusuke working at his grandpa's shop and going to vocational school, but they'd made it. And now they would be living together in the small flat above _Shimada Potions_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the Paraphernalia series. For now. I might come back to it if inspiration strikes again^^   
> A huge thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos, your feedback means a lot to me!

**Author's Note:**

> I have a [Tumblr](http://gilrael.tumblr.com) if you want to keep up with my writing.


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